San Francisco has long been a city near and dear to my heart. While I never lived quite that far north, I have visited the city on many occasions. Living in Santa Cruz, a trip an hour-and-a-half north to the big city was a respite from what felt like the smallness of the Monterey Bay to someone from the Greater Los Angeles Area. But my love of San Francisco began before that: from school trips to family vacations, I have many lovely memories from those jaunts up to the Bay Area.
Thanks to the annual California School Boards education conference, I recently had the opportunity to visit San Francisco again. It has been five years since the last trek up; thanks to Covid and negative news coverage of the area (of San Francisco and other big cities on the West Coast), I have not had the chance to go back up to what is one of my favorite towns. While there has been some change in the last five years, in many ways, it is still the same coastal city where I left my heart as a kid.
This trek was for business, and as such, I stayed mostly in the vicinity of Union Square. That said, the fair weather and walkability from the Moscone Center allowed time for me venture out to the Ferry Building and as far as Pier 3 along the Embarcadero. The Ferry Building Marketplace offered up a number of food options, and there were several places I looked at when souvenir shopping. I was delighted to see that Mariposa, a gluten-free bakery from where I bought cupcakes for Sami on her first trip to San Francisco, was still there, along with a few other favorites. I opted for empanadas at El Portenos for one of my lunches, a nice handheld option enjoyed on the walk back to the Moscone Center. While there, I stopped in at Fog City Flea Trading Post and purchased a couple artsy souvenirs, including a Bay Area map print for my room.
Perhaps the most ‘San Francisco’ adventure we went on this trek was on Saturday after the conference while killing some time before our flight back to LA. We walked to the cable car turnaround at Powell and Market to catch a cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf. The morning was drizzly; a departure from the unusually fair weather of the past three days, but more in keeping with most of my trips to the Bay Area. The line to ride the cable cars was long, and it took about just under a half-hour of waiting to get on. Still it was fun, and getting on the cable car brought back the same feelings of adventure as I had in my younger days. It was fun going up and down the hills on Powell and Mason Streets. While the morning stayed gray, the drizzle stopped, and for me, the weather was rather perfect for a cable car ride with friends and colleagues.
Once at the turnaround at Taylor and Bay, we hopped off and walked the quarter mile or so to Fisherman’s Wharf. One of my colleagues lamented how some of the area has changed; old restaurants that had been there for decades were now gone, leaving portions of the walk empty and boarded up. Fortunately though, Boudin Bakery’s flagship store on Jefferson Street is still there, and it made the perfect lunch spot on a cloudy San Francisco day.
I opted for a classically San Francisco lunchtime treat: rustic tomato soup in a sourdough bread bowl. According to the internet, the sourdough starter contains a bacteria that loves the cool, foggy San Francisco environment, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. And while sourdough is not unique to San Francisco, in my biased opinion, it does taste better here.
After lunch, we walked over to Ghirardelli Square, crossing the green that is part of San Francisco Maritime Historic Park, managed by the National Park Service. Despite the cold, cloudy weather, there were a number of people visiting the park on a Saturday afternoon. Indeed, on a sunny day, it would offer lovely views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Even with the drizzle, it was still a scenic view, and we could see the bright International Orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge contrasting with the grey.
The Ghirardelli complex was once the site of an old wool mill, Pioneer Woolen Mills, which interestingly enough, was involved in the manufacture of uniforms for Union soldiers in the days of the Civil War. In 1895, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company purchased the site and produced its chocolate from there. Today, the chocolate manufacturing operation is no longer at this location, but it is a fun stop for ice cream and souvenirs. In addition to Ghirardelli Chocolate, there are a number of retail shops and restaurants to visit. The square was all decked out in holiday decor, and I stocked up on delicious candy for the holidays- including flavors not typically found at Target and other stores. The old mill building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
After dropping a few dollars at the kids’ behest on candy and Ghirardelli cable car ornaments, it was time to head back down to the turnaround and ride back to Market Street. We had to meet our car back at the hotel to head to SFO and back home. Of course, at this point, the sun broke through the clouds, revealing a pretty blue sky. I enjoyed the ride, reminiscing about prior trips with friends, and contemplated that my dorky self riding the cable car at sixteen dreamed of a very different life for herself than the one I lead now. I could not have imagined my current journey, and smiling to myself as the car stopped above Lombard Street, sharing an adventure with colleagues I admire and respect, I wouldn’t have it any other way. And once again, I left my heart in San Francisco.
Some things to consider:
The news has had a lot to say about crime and homelessness in San Francisco. While it is true that there are businesses that have left the financial district, and there are more empty storefronts, it would be unfair to say that the entirety of the city has completely gone to ruin. I felt comfortable in the more touristy areas, i.e. along the Embarcadero, around Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf. I would not recommend certain areas in the city, especially at night, and it is true that there have been an increase in property crimes, like auto break-ins. That said, using appropriate caution, as we should when exploring any major city or new environment, is a good idea.
San Francisco is not a great place to drive around or park; parking is a premium within the city limits. The good news is that public transportation works very well, especially when visiting more popular areas. As we experienced, the cable car connected us conveniently from where we were staying near Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf. The cost of a single-ride ticket is $8 at time of writing. The more economical option is to purchase a Muni pass, which cost $13 for a day, and included the cable car. There are 1, 3, 5, and 7-day passes available the Muni app. For more information, visit the SFMTA site.
There is much to see and do in the city by the Bay. From the Golden Gate to Alcatraz and a variety of museums and historic sites, there are many places to explore and leave your heart in San Francisco.
References:
Davis, Chelsea. Uncovering San Francisco Sourdough, and Why It Tastes Different – Sfgate, 2023, http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/san-francisco-sourdough-18102395.php.
“History.” Ghirardelli Square, http://www.ghirardellisq.com/history.
The Cranky Camper 